5 Best Books On Creativity and Innovation that Everyone Should Read

This popular book changes businesses to figure out the right thing to build – the thing customers want and will pay for – as quickly as possible. Having sold over 1 million copies worldwide this book is a go-to read for anyone working in business. 

IIt is a valuable resource for understanding creativity in the context of entrepreneurship because it offers a systematic and practical approach to developing innovative ideas into successful businesses. By promoting a mindset of hypothesis-driven development and efficient resource allocation, the book facilitates the creative exploration of new ideas while minimizing the risks associated with traditional, resource-intensive approaches, making it a compelling guide for fostering creative innovation within startups and larger organisations.

"Innovation is a bottoms-up, decentralised, and unpredictable thing, but that doesn't mean it cannot be managed."

Eric Ries

This valuable book offers a thought-provoking perspective on innovation. Thiel's concept of going from "zero to one" centers on creating novel and transformative ideas – advocating for the pursuit of undiscovered opportunities rather than replicating existing models.

It’s really a book about challenging conventional wisdom. You’ll feel encouraged to question assumptions, embrace originality, and envision possibilities that can drive substantial and lasting change, making it an insightful guide for fostering a mindset of creative and disruptive thinking.

“The most valuable businesses of coming decades will be built by entrepreneurs who seek to empower people rather than try to make them obsolete.”

Peter Thiel

If you’re looking for encouragement to embrace your creativity while borrowing inspiration from others, this is the book for you. It offers practical tips and advice for those seeking to tap into their creative potential and make a mark in their chosen field.

Published in 2012 as part of a three-part series, in Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon explores the idea that no artistic work is an original idea. Creative people understand that art is everywhere, and the key to creating it is taking ideas from multiple sources, combining them, and adding your own voice. This book also touches on the impact of the digital age on creativity.

Anyone can be creative! Grab this book if you believe creativity is a set state and something you are born with. Paul Arden believes everyone has the potential to be more creative and better at their work.

“If you can’t solve a problem, it’s because you’re playing by the rules”

Paul Arden

John Maeda is a graphic designer and computer scientist. In this book, he proposes ten laws and 3 keys that you can use for simplifying complex systems in business and life.

It is a great book about being creative because it talks about how keeping things simple is really important. Maeda gives us ten rules that help us understand how to make things clear and easy to understand. He uses examples from real life to show how we can make our ideas better by making them simpler. 

This book is really helpful if you want to be more creative in your approach to problem solving.

“Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.”

John Maeda